avoiding the responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "avoiding the responsibility" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing actions or behaviors that involve evading or not taking on a duty or obligation. Example: "His constant excuses are just a way of avoiding the responsibility for his actions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Indeed, many organisations appear to be avoiding the responsibility altogether.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"That is one way the regime avoids the responsibility for these murders.

The New York Times

They may prefer to avoid the responsibility, leaving them room for Benghazi-style recriminations later, if things go wrong.

The New Yorker

It alone has the power and values to do the job, and it cannot avoid the responsibility.

The New York Times - Books

"The judge's ruling means that the litigation can finally get under way, and that the state can no longer avoid the responsibility for its wrongdoing".

The New York Times

"What we are looking at now is the Haitian goverment trying to avoid the responsibility of taking care of their population in the Dominican Republic," he said.

The Guardian

"He'll be pointing to his own failure of leadership," Mr. Gillespie said on Monday, adding that Mr. Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. can't avoid the responsibility that comes with being in charge.

The New York Times

"The facts are there, everybody knows the facts are there, everybody knows that there's been inequitable funding to high-needs school districts, and what the governor is now doing is putting this commission in place to avoid the responsibility of dealing with it in his January budget submission," Mr. Silver said.

The New York Times

"The owner of the factory could not avoid the responsibility and he committed severe negligence by which such type of death happened," he said.

BBC

"These secret aliases are a convenient way to avoid the responsibility of answering for their appropriation of a culture and sound," Joe wrote in a Facebook post that has since elicited hundreds of responses.

Vice

Giggling is not a yes, and neither is nodding or smiling or winking or anything else that girls often do so that we can avoid the responsibility of a strong "Yes".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "avoiding the responsibility", ensure it's followed by a clear explanation of what specific duty or obligation is being evaded to maintain clarity and context.

Common error

Be specific about the responsibility being avoided. Vague statements lack impact; for instance, instead of saying "They are avoiding the responsibility", specify "They are avoiding the responsibility for the project's failure".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "avoiding the responsibility" functions as a verb phrase acting as a gerund (present participle used as a noun), often serving as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig's examples show its use in describing actions of evasion.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "avoiding the responsibility" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe the act of evading a duty or obligation. Ludwig provides numerous examples of its use in news, science, and general discourse. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is broadly acceptable and frequently used. Related phrases include "shirking the responsibility" and "evading accountability". When using this phrase, be specific about what responsibility is being avoided to ensure clarity. Avoiding overgeneralizations will improve the impact of your message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shirking the responsibility

Focuses on the act of neglecting or evading a duty.

evading the responsibility

Emphasizes the act of skillfully escaping or avoiding a duty.

dodging the responsibility

Suggests a quick or evasive movement to avoid something.

ducking the responsibility

Similar to dodging, suggesting a quick avoidance.

circumventing the responsibility

Implies finding a way around or out of a duty.

sidestepping the responsibility

Suggests moving to the side to avoid a direct confrontation with a duty.

bypassing the responsibility

Implies going around or ignoring a duty.

neglecting the responsibility

Focuses on the failure to properly care for or attend to a duty.

shunning the responsibility

Implies deliberately avoiding or rejecting a duty.

evading accountability

Highlights the avoidance of being held accountable for actions or decisions.

FAQs

How can I use "avoiding the responsibility" in a sentence?

You can use "avoiding the responsibility" to describe a situation where someone is actively trying not to take ownership of a task, duty, or problem. For example, "The company is accused of "avoiding the responsibility" for the environmental damage caused by its operations".

What's a more formal way to say "avoiding the responsibility"?

In a more formal context, you could use phrases like "shirking accountability", "evading their obligations", or "failing to discharge their duties" instead of "avoiding the responsibility".

What can I say instead of "avoiding the responsibility" in a negative context?

In a negative context, you might use phrases such as "neglecting their duties", "derelict in their responsibilities", or "abdicating their role" as alternatives to "avoiding the responsibility".

Is "avoiding responsibility" the same as "denying responsibility"?

"Avoiding responsibility" implies evading or sidestepping a duty, while "denying responsibility" means refusing to acknowledge or accept blame for something. Although both involve a lack of accountability, they differ in their approach.